<p>candi, as I stated previously, I know of no one who has waited "ridiculously long periods to receive medical tests". Having lived there, having many family and friends who still live there, I can say with an informed opinion that it's rare that individuals have to wait much, if any, longer than the general public does in the U.S. I have actual experience with the system. I'm curious if you do. Last month, my nephew injured his knee playing soccer. He was seen at emerg, x-rayed, and received an MRI on the knee the following day. My old neighbor was unfortunate enough to discover a lump in her breast about a year ago. She saw her family doctor, had a mammogram the same day, was referred to a specialist for a needle biopsy two days later, and had a lumpectomy within a week. Her chemo and radiation followed a normal course once she recovered from the surgery. Her sister-in-law had a similar experience the previous year but lived in a town where there would have been a wait for radiation so the Ontario Health Insurance Plan paid for her to go to Roswell Park Cancer Institute in Buffalo, NY (about a half hour drive for her), and paid for her to stay there for the five weeks of radiation. Granted, these are anecdotal cases but I could easily list a few dozen more to illustrate the point. I'm not saying that the system is perfect, it isn't, but the system in the U.S. isn't either.</p>
<p>alukaszewicz, it really has nothing to do with left or right wing governments making decisions such as the one not to allow private companies to set up shop in the province for healthcare. That is a result of the national health care act, which will not allow a two-tier system to be established. I don't totally agree with it either but it has nothing to do with the current government. The same thing happened when the Conservatives were in power. The CRTC is another issue. They regulate broadcasting and Canadian content, etc. but it's not like Canadians are then limited as to what they can view or listen to. The large majority of Canadians live within such a close distance to the U.S. border that most have access to more American tv and radio stations than to Canadian ones. With satellite and cable these days, it isn't, nor has it ever been a problem. Canadian cable providers have very few Canadian stations available in proportion to U.S. ones that they offer.</p>
<p>An interesting fact is that Canada has the only network which airs the Soprano's unedited and we don't face the problems with censorship of Saving Private Ryan when airing it on TV. Overall Canadian TV and video laws are no where near as strict as in the states, for example, almost no movies that are released get ratings worse than 14A, so just about any movie, many of which are R in the States, is accesible to those over the age of 14.</p>
<p>I think a lot of people think that Canada's health care is atrotious, which it is not; however, it is not great. Some people are able to receive quick treatment, while some have to wait months, like my mother who spent 4 months waiting for a specialist and then had to change because the doctor was unable to formulate a reasonable diagnosis. The problem I have is the elitism that is shown here which is the cause of most of the worlds problems: people feel that they have no responsibilty for those less fortunate than them. When people will allow someone to die because they are unable to pay the doctor then there is something wrong, as human beings need to look beyond our own selves and realize that there are those people who really are not able to provide for themselves and we DO HAVE an obligation to them. </p>
<p>I hope that you people think about the human toll of free market health care. I do believe in the free market for business, but some ESSENTIAL services need to be offered to all and taken care of by a fair government. FOr example, will you resort to free market fire departments, so you need to pay to have your house saved, or free market police, so only the rich can be free of crime, or have crimes against them punished. If you feel that someone's life is not worth a few hundred of your dollars a year, then there IS a SERIOUS problem with you.</p>
<p>I value my freedom most of all..but with this current president...I'm not sure we will have it if the conservatives have their way. Unless you want to buy a gun......(smirk)</p>
<p>My S, who has always considered to be slightly to the left politically...he's a Harvard grad....he is just now deciding to apply for Irish citizenship....found out he can because his grandmother ws born there! So, too, are my other two children...that, of course,leaves me out! No IRish citizenship for me!</p>
<p>A question for the Canadian members of CC: How much of a problem is illegal immigration in Canada? Do you have many instances of people relocating to Canada in order to take advantage of the "free health care"? We already have tremendous problems associated with illegal immigration in the U.S. I think Universal Health Care would provide all the more motivation for those looking north for hope of a better life to risk crossing the border. If we will not deny medical care to illegal aliens, someone's got to pick up the tab. Guess who?</p>
<p>poetsheart, illegal immigration in Canada is not a large problem. To receive healthcare, you must present a valid and official healthcard, which in most provinces now has a photo I.D. Individuals who are in the country illegally would not have such cards. The card must be presented each and every time you go to a doctor's office, emerg, etc., even if you've been a patient for many years. Even individuals who enter the country legally as immigrants have a waiting period before they are able to access the healthcare system. And one last point, I can assure you that the system in Canada is NOT "free". :)</p>
<p>"I can assure you that the system in Canada is NOT "free". "</p>
<p>LOL, alwaysamom---too right! That's why I put the words, "free health care" in quotation marks. If Canadians pay close to half their income in taxes, none of the safety net services they currently enjoy can be said to be "free". That's why I asked the question about illegal immigrants. We have a growing population of illegals here in the U.S. They already often take advantage of many services paid for by tax payers. If we had a system of universal health care, supported by stiff tax increases, I can only imagine how the average American would feel about having to pay for the health needs of a growing illegal population. This is one of many problems that would have to be worked out before we were to undertake socialized medicine.</p>
<p>It sounds as if Canada quite readily refuses health care to persons not in possession of "the Card". I wonder if that decision has been the source of national debate there..?</p>
<p>Sgiovinc1, LOL--- I hoot with the owls BIG TIME! In fact, I went to bed early last night---ahem, excuse me---this morning: 2:00 am. I got up at ten. I'll be going strong until as late as 4:00 am. I've always been nocturnal. My mom likes to mention my colicky infancy. I'd start wailing at about 6:00 pm and stop at around midnight (Poor Mom. It's beyond me that she didn't toss me out the window!). This went on for almost 3 months. That started it, I guess. I don't think I could become a morning person if my life depended on it.</p>
<p>Alwaysamom, I was not so much speaking about the "health card", per se, as what Canada does in the case of an illegal alien facing a serious health issue. Do they deport them? I'm assuming they probably treat medical emergencies, but do they deny medical care to non-citizens under every other circumstance?</p>
<p>If we go to gov. health care, we'll have to consciously make a decision about the medical treatment of non-citizens.</p>
<p>Poetsheart: Are you married? because my husband sure as hell would be convinced I was having one of those ON-LINE affairs if I was tapping away on OUR computer at 1:00AM!!!! If I had my choice, I would prefer "attempting to sleep through soaking hot flashes" at that time of the AM. HA!</p>